Seizures reported last week include a joint US - EU operation into counterfeit computer components which yielded 360,000 fake items… Chinese authorities have seized seven illegal DVD production lines in South China impounding thousands of pirated discs… A large seizure of pirated DVDs also took place in Thailand involving 45,000 discs. Similar raids were also carried out in the UK and the US.

Cases and outcomes last week include the Brazilian owner of a website that illegally sold The Beatles music online being sentenced to more than 18 months in prison… A British man has been jailed for four years for his part in a major counterfeit cigarette smuggling ring… Six US film companies are suing one of China’s ISPs for helping its users download pirated films.

Policy developments last week include the British government stating that ISPs in the UK should take steps to curb illegal downloads on their networks by April 2009 or face legal sanctions.

Studies and reports out last week include one from Burkina Faso which found that one in five pharmaceuticals on sale there is counterfeit… The Software & Information Industry Association (SIIA) released its 2007 Anti-Piracy Year in Review annual report… In China there has been a surge of foreign-related IPR court cases since 2001. Last year 1,634 cases concluded in local courts, an increase of 58 percent compared to the previous year.